Ink-jet apparatus

Abstract

Provided is an ink-jet apparatus that: has a wide control range of the direction for ink ejection; can correct a variation in the direction for ink ejection; and can improve the yield of a product when used for manufacture of electronic devices. The ink-jet apparatus includes: pressure chamber 110 configured with a pair of partition walls 111 ; nozzle plate 101 having nozzle 100 ; diaphragm 112 supported by partition walls 111 ; piezoelectric elements 131 and 132 that are in contact with diaphragm 112 for pressurizing pressure chamber 110 ; and piezoelectric elements 141, 142 and 143 supporting partition walls 111 . A voltage can be applied individually to piezoelectric elements 131, 132 , and 141 to 143 . The widths of part A and part B of diaphragm 112 , part A being in contact with a piezoelectric element, and part B being in contact with partition wall 111 satisfy a particular relationship.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An ink jet apparatus comprising:
 multiple nozzles for ejecting ink; 
 pressure chambers, each of the pressure chambers communicating with each of the nozzles; 
 piezoelectric elements A for applying a pressure to the pressure chambers; 
 partition walls arranged between the pressure chambers; 
 piezoelectric elements B, each of piezoelectric elements B supporting each of the partition walls; and 
 a diaphragm arranged between the partition walls and the piezoelectric elements B, the diaphragm being in contact with the piezoelectric elements A; wherein: 
 a relationship L 4 ≧L 2 >L 1  is satisfied when: L 1  is a width of a first convex part of the diaphragm in direction X along which the nozzles are arranged, the first convex part being in contact with one of the piezoelectric elements A; L 2  is a width of a second convex part of the diaphragm in direction X, the second convex part being in contact with one of the piezoelectric elements B; and L 4  is a width of a part of each of the piezoelectric elements A and the piezoelectric elements B in direction X; and 
 a relationship W 2 >W 1  is satisfied when: W 1  is a width of a part of each of the piezoelectric elements A and the piezoelectric elements B in direction Y perpendicular to direction X and along an axis of each of the nozzles; and W 2  is a width of the first convex part of the diaphragm in direction Y. 
 
     
     
       2. The ink jet apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an ink supply channel configured to allow ink to be supplied to the pressure chambers to flow therein and an ink discharge channel configured to allow ink discharged from the pressure chambers to flow therein, the ink supply channel and the ink discharge channel being arranged at the piezoelectric element side with respect to the diaphragm; 
 ink inlet channels configured to allow the ink supply channel to communicate with the pressure chambers via through holes X formed in the diaphragm, the ink inlet channels being arranged at the partition wall side with respect to the diaphragm; and 
 ink outlet channels configured to allow each of the pressure chambers to communicate with the ink discharge channel via through holes Y formed in the diaphragm, the ink outlet channels being arranged at the partition wall side with respect to the diaphragm. 
 
     
     
       3. The ink jet apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a relationship L 2 >L 3  is satisfied when L 3  is a width of a part of each of the partition walls in direction X, the part being in contact with the diaphragm. 
     
     
       4. The ink jet apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein each of through holes X is a mesh in the diaphragm. 
     
     
       5. The ink-jet apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein compressive stiffness of the partition walls is lower than compressive stiffness of other walls of each of the pressure chambers. 
     
     
       6. The ink-jet apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the partition walls are arranged between the pressure chambers, and at least two of the piezoelectric elements B respectively support each of the partition walls.